OCFS was officially created on January 8, 1998 by merging the programs of the former state Division for Youth, the developmental and preventive children and family programs administered by the former state Department of Social Services, and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped.
Role
OCFS has wide-ranging responsibilities for the provision of services to children, youth, families, and vulnerable adults. The agency is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption, and adoption assistance; child protective services, including operating the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment; preventive services for children and families; child care and referral programs; and protective programs for vulnerable adults. Additionally, OCFS is responsible for the state’s juvenile justice programs, administering and managing residential facilities located across New York State for youth remanded to the agency’s custody by family and criminal courts. The agency also supports and monitors detention, aftercare, and a range of community-based programs. OCFS also coordinates, in part, the state government response to the needs of Native Americans and their children on reservations and in communities. Prevention and rehabilitation efforts are joint ventures with local and county government, supported by federal, state, county, and municipal funds, as well as private contributions. OCFS provides technical and financial assistance to agencies involved in community youth programs and monitors activities of voluntary child-care and detention agencies in New York State.
Structure
The agency divides its responsibilities into two main areas: program and support. The program divisions/offices include:
OCFS has regional offices in Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, and Westchester and Long Island. The Regional Offices help districts and agencies keep children safe, achieve permanency, and improve the quality of life for children and families. Regional offices provide "oversight" to local districts and voluntary agencies. The responsibility to provide oversight is defined as assuring compliance with OCFS regulations, reinforcing good practice standards, and improving district/agency capacity to achieve positive outcomes for children and families. The agency's Bureau of Training maintains the Parker Training Academy. Located on the Academy grounds is a Dutch barn added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The state Council on Children and Families was created by Governor Carey in 1977, and administratively merged with OCFS in 2003. The council does not have direct responsibility for the operation of programs or the provision of services, but instead orients its priorities toward the development of comprehensive and coordinated systems of care that respond to the wide needs of children and families.
